Steve Yerrid is known for his landmark courtroom victories, including Florida’s tobacco case in the 1990s, which secured a $17 billion-plus settlement and reformed tobacco advertising aimed at children; Florida’s largest medical malpractice verdict in 2006; and his role as special counsel for the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which resulted in historic settlements. Yet these high-profile cases represent only part of the story. His entire career has been guided by a simple principle: helping others.
To date, Yerrid has donated or lent a helping hand to more than 600 charities and established the self-funded Yerrid Foundation in the late 1990s to further his philanthropic efforts. Although his law firm helps provide the means for financial contributions, the habit of giving was instilled in him from the start—especially when money wasn’t an option.
“We didn’t have money, but we had riches,” Yerrid recalls. “My mother gave me a great heart. She had a giving spirit, so whenever we could help others—even if it wasn’t monetarily—that’s what she showed me.”
From delivering 350 fried chickens to families in the hollows of West Virginia at Christmas as a preschooler to stopping daily at a retirement home on his walk from junior high, a young Yerrid was no stranger to helping others. His most impactful moment came after accompanying a clown performer to the children’s cancer ward, when a three-year-old boy who had taken a liking to him was no longer there. That experience inspired his ongoing efforts to fight childhood cancer, including a 26-year partnership with the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning for the annual Tampa Bay Fights Cancer Night and sponsorship of a fishing tournament benefiting the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation.
“I believe there is a fundamental responsibility to give back,” he says. “It’s what we leave behind that’s important. That little ripple of hope, or that little ripple of help I’m able to provide—whether through the foundation or through my legal work—making a difference for those people is my reward in life.”
All of these efforts have earned Yerrid community recognition, but for him, the goal has never been accolades—it’s always been about helping others, including animals.
During one of his philanthropic endeavors, Yerrid connected with an experience specialist and conservationist from South Africa who invited him to see the work being done to protect endangered rhinos—animals now on the verge of extinction due to poachers harvesting their horns. Understanding the importance of conservation efforts and wanting his grandchildren and future generations to have the chance to see rhinos one day, Yerrid donated to the cause. He never imagined he would one day take part in vital, hands-on conservation work—flying by helicopter to assist a pregnant rhino alongside a world-renowned veterinarian.
In April, Yerrid and his law partner joined Ubuntu Exclusive, a conservation-focused destination founded by Suzete Vicente. Designed for travelers who seek both purpose and adventure, Ubuntu Exclusive offers guests the opportunity to actively contribute to vital African conservation efforts.
“Ubuntu Exclusive provides an immersive, purpose-driven experience that allows individuals to directly support, participate and witness the impact of their contribution,” Vicente says.
Nestled within a 54,000-acre wildlife sanctuary in South Africa’s Eastern Cape, Ubuntu Exclusive welcomes no more than 10 guests at a time, ensuring an intimate and immersive experience. On this trip, Yerrid and his partner were the only visitors, joined by experts and guides who led them into the heart of Africa, where they tracked and ultimately, engaged in critical, hands-on conservation work on a pregnant rhino. The private conservancy is now home to 39 black and 35 white rhinos due to the support of donors and around-the-clock protection by ex-military armed rangers.
After the animal was safely darted, the team moved quickly to reach the rhino in the expansive reserve. Under the supervision of an expert veterinarian, Yerrid administered a critical injection to the 5,000-pound pregnant rhino, fitted a tracking collar on her leg to monitor movement and detect signs of distress, and managed her recovery by closely monitoring vital signs throughout the procedure.
Beyond his work with the rhino, during his stay he also helped deliver food to 300 nearby villagers, who already benefited from access to water and electricity through the program. Seeing their faces reminded him of his childhood, when he joined his father in West Virginia to deliver Christmas dinners to families in need—a memory that underscored a lifetime of giving, whether in his own community or halfway across the world.
For Yerrid, moments like these serve as reminders that true success isn’t measured by verdicts or victories, but by the lives touched along the way.
“The surefire way to make my day absolutely great is to perform an act of kindness,” he says. “When I do that, it makes my life glow; it makes my heart happy.”
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